Common sense will help keep you safe
#11
09-13-2011, 07:54 AM
Most accidents are at intersections and most drivers never see the other guy coming.
This happened to me in 1995, I was following a dump truck at about 40 mph through an intersection in my 93 Mustang GT when the dump truck suddenly turned without signalling I proceeded through the intersection and a guy getting ready to turn never saw me, I T-boned him, he survived thanks to quick responders the jaws of life and a lifeline helicopter, and he fully recovered from his injuries. Both of us learned a lesson the hard way.
I was reminded of this saturday night when a guy on a crotch rocket passed me and another bike and several cars on the right side at a very high rate of speed through a busy downtown intersection. A young lady was turning left at the intersection and never saw him. Luckily for him he had quick reflexes and had just enough time to get the bike down on its side before colliding with the car. The bike stopped dead where it hit the car, he slid about 50 feet down the road through the intersection and jumped right up, he was ok but the bike was totaled.
The young lady was at fault but I can assure you and the couple on the other bike riding with me will concur, she NEVER saw him coming, he was going too fast, she looked and he wasn't there she turned and in a blink of an eye he was there.
Thankfully he was ok but it could have been avoided by just using common sense. Slow down and look both ways before going through an intersection, don't assume that because you have the right away they are looking for you.
Be safe my brothers
This happened to me in 1995, I was following a dump truck at about 40 mph through an intersection in my 93 Mustang GT when the dump truck suddenly turned without signalling I proceeded through the intersection and a guy getting ready to turn never saw me, I T-boned him, he survived thanks to quick responders the jaws of life and a lifeline helicopter, and he fully recovered from his injuries. Both of us learned a lesson the hard way.
I was reminded of this saturday night when a guy on a crotch rocket passed me and another bike and several cars on the right side at a very high rate of speed through a busy downtown intersection. A young lady was turning left at the intersection and never saw him. Luckily for him he had quick reflexes and had just enough time to get the bike down on its side before colliding with the car. The bike stopped dead where it hit the car, he slid about 50 feet down the road through the intersection and jumped right up, he was ok but the bike was totaled.
The young lady was at fault but I can assure you and the couple on the other bike riding with me will concur, she NEVER saw him coming, he was going too fast, she looked and he wasn't there she turned and in a blink of an eye he was there.
Thankfully he was ok but it could have been avoided by just using common sense. Slow down and look both ways before going through an intersection, don't assume that because you have the right away they are looking for you.
Be safe my brothers
I don't think your assessment that it was her fault is correct.
#12
09-13-2011, 08:34 AM
Stellar HDF Member
I t-boned a big *** station wagon on a Kawasaki ZR750 while doing the speed limit of 25mph and ended up doing a 12 o'clock stoppy off his front fender before the bike came back down. My front forks curved back into my radiator and I ended up doing $7,600 in damage to a $5,600 bike.
It was some 80 year old man who went through a stop sign and didn't see me. I wanted to kill somebody after I got up and saw this old guy getting out of the car and just had to limp away.
Learned that when I was taught everyone was out to kill me while I was riding that it was absolutely true.
It was some 80 year old man who went through a stop sign and didn't see me. I wanted to kill somebody after I got up and saw this old guy getting out of the car and just had to limp away.
Learned that when I was taught everyone was out to kill me while I was riding that it was absolutely true.
#13
09-13-2011, 09:36 AM
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Excellent post.
I personally witnessed the same situation at a busy intersection in rush hour traffic 5 1/2 years ago.
Unfortunately the rider of the crotch rocket was traveling too fast and had zero time for any reaction and slammed into the turning vehicle at 40+mph.
He didn't even flinch after the collision. Pronounced dead on the scene.
His impact actually spun the car 180 degrees around.
ALWAYS assume that car will be there!
I personally witnessed the same situation at a busy intersection in rush hour traffic 5 1/2 years ago.
Unfortunately the rider of the crotch rocket was traveling too fast and had zero time for any reaction and slammed into the turning vehicle at 40+mph.
He didn't even flinch after the collision. Pronounced dead on the scene.
His impact actually spun the car 180 degrees around.
ALWAYS assume that car will be there!
#14
09-13-2011, 09:57 AM
Excellent post.
I personally witnessed the same situation at a busy intersection in rush hour traffic 5 1/2 years ago.
Unfortunately the rider of the crotch rocket was traveling too fast and had zero time for any reaction and slammed into the turning vehicle at 40+mph.
He didn't even flinch after the collision. Pronounced dead on the scene.
His impact actually spun the car 180 degrees around.
ALWAYS assume that car will be there!
I personally witnessed the same situation at a busy intersection in rush hour traffic 5 1/2 years ago.
Unfortunately the rider of the crotch rocket was traveling too fast and had zero time for any reaction and slammed into the turning vehicle at 40+mph.
He didn't even flinch after the collision. Pronounced dead on the scene.
His impact actually spun the car 180 degrees around.
ALWAYS assume that car will be there!
Apart from a direct hit from an inbound meteor, or a cement truck plowing head on into you from the other lane across an intersection while you're parked at a red light (yeah, I heard of a biker dying this way), 99.999% of the things that put bikers on the ground are avoidable.
Those of you who really buy into the whole "sometimes you have no choice and have to lay er down" approach need to wake up, get out of the 60s, and learn to anticipate the evil ways of cages, animals, and unexpected road conditions - these are what will kill you. They are always there, and you have a choice - ignore that fact, and wait for your accident; or accept it, and ride like it's true, so you can avoid crashing.
Lay it down...
Last edited by redsled; 09-13-2011 at 10:05 AM.
#15
09-13-2011, 10:48 AM
No matter what you drive. In Kentucky, we officially changed the name of the reports police do, from "Traffic Accident Report" to "Collision Report" because they are almost never "accidents", just negligence.
#16
09-14-2011, 03:06 PM
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12 years ago, I t-boned an 89 year old man in Ford Taurus while in my 1998 Jeep Wrangler at 40 mph. He failed to yield from oncoming left turn lane in front of me. If it were on my bike neither I nor my young sons wouldn't be here today.
What struck me most was how inevitable it was as it unfolded. He pulled out into intersection, panicked, stopped for a moment across my left and middle lanes while I quickly whipped into right lane (from the middle lane), then he PANICKED AGAIN??? and gunned the accelerator. I couldn't go anywhere..... just braked hard, finally lost traction and drilled him.... I spun around the intersection twice and he did a 540. Totalled both. Would have killed his passenger if he had one.... If he had just stopped the first time I would have cleared him (barely)..
It saved my *** a couple weeks ago. Blind intersection gave me flashbacks and I got on the brakes while trying to check the oncoming turn lane. Sure enough, a chickie snack pulled partially out and stopped..... but I no idiot... I had already shut it down and was at walking speed by the time she pulled her head out of her ***...
What struck me most was how inevitable it was as it unfolded. He pulled out into intersection, panicked, stopped for a moment across my left and middle lanes while I quickly whipped into right lane (from the middle lane), then he PANICKED AGAIN??? and gunned the accelerator. I couldn't go anywhere..... just braked hard, finally lost traction and drilled him.... I spun around the intersection twice and he did a 540. Totalled both. Would have killed his passenger if he had one.... If he had just stopped the first time I would have cleared him (barely)..
It saved my *** a couple weeks ago. Blind intersection gave me flashbacks and I got on the brakes while trying to check the oncoming turn lane. Sure enough, a chickie snack pulled partially out and stopped..... but I no idiot... I had already shut it down and was at walking speed by the time she pulled her head out of her ***...
#17
09-14-2011, 03:39 PM
Road Master
never ever trust what another driver/rider is going to do. I don't pull out in front of cars with turn signals on either.
#18
09-14-2011, 04:27 PM
Club Member
Cagers are just like deer when it's goes bad and they'll act just as stupid .
#19
09-14-2011, 07:09 PM
A controlled "lay down" is such BS. How much "control" do you have when you only have metal making contact with the road? I'm sure your braking and steering control is much better with the bike on it's side rather than on the 2 rubber tires that have much better traction than your steel parts. You guys that think "laying it down" on purpose is a good idea need to get some more education.
#20
09-14-2011, 08:42 PM
Club Member
A controlled "lay down" is such BS. How much "control" do you have when you only have metal making contact with the road? I'm sure your braking and steering control is much better with the bike on it's side rather than on the 2 rubber tires that have much better traction than your steel parts. You guys that think "laying it down" on purpose is a good idea need to get some more education.